Christmas Traditions
by Faramirlover
Summary: Lex is nervous about spending Christmas with the Kents. Clex


Lex switched off the radio with a flick of the wrist then instantly regretted it. His lingering needlessly in the car was far more obvious in the silence. He shuffled in his seat before sliding his gloves from his hands as slowly as he could. He was procrastinating over the last few inches of his second hand when Clark knocked on the driver's side window making him start in shock and hit his head on the roof.

"Oops. Sorry Lex," Clarks smile was unrepentant "You coming inside or you going to spend Christmas Day sitting in your car?"

Lex grabbed the presents from the passenger seat and slid out of the car as elegantly as he could muster with only the use of one arm.

"Of course I was coming, Clark, but one cannot rush these things."

"You were hiding from Dad and fooling nobody about it."

Lex sniffed and shuffled the presents in his arms.

"Well I'm not hiding in my car anymore. Lead on."

Clark grinned and led the way back to the house. Lex followed, humming the funeral march under his breath.

"I can hear you, you know."

Lex instantly switched to Bolero and Clark shot him a bright grin over his shoulder.

"Come on boys! You're letting all the cold air in."

"You're the one holding the door open, Mom."

"And exactly who am I holding the door open for."

Clark huffed and quickened his pace, grumbling to himself as he hopped up the steps but Lex could tell the younger man was secretly delighted to have his mother's attention. Such a mommy's boy.

"You too Lex. No hovering outside."

Martha sent a beaming smile his way and he took the steps in one quick bound and was inside the house before he remembered that that's what he had been avoiding.

"That you, Luthor?" Jonathan Kent's voice boomed from in front of the TV.

Clark just grinned when Lex shot a panicked look in his direction.

"Yes, Mr Kent, it's me."

"Took you long enough. With a fancy sports car like that thought you'd be here hours ago. Come gimme a hand with this crossword."

"I-"

"Just go, sweetheart. I'll take those presents and put them under the tree for you."

Lex did as he was told, shuffling into the front room and hovering nervously as far from Jonathan Kent as he could manage.

"I don't bite, lad. Get over here and help me with this clue. Can't make head nor tail of it."

Lex spent the next hour picking through the times crossword, arguing verb conjugation and double meanings and anagrams with the last man on the planet he thought he ever would. When Jonathan finally put down his pen with a satisfied flourish all sense of time had slipped away and Lex could genuinely say he'd enjoyed himself.

"You guys done?" Clark asked, popping up from behind the sofa with all the stealth of a hunting lion.

"Yep. Didn't even have to get the thesaurus out this time."

"Cool. I told you Lex is good with words. Mom says lunch is gonna be ready in half an hour."

"I'd better go check if she needs any help with anything. You lads have fun."

Jonathan strode away and a few moments later he could be heard chatting with Martha in the kitchen.

"Ok... what just happened?"

Clark chuckled.

"Mum had a bit of a word with Dad last night and he sorta admitted that maybe you weren't as bad as he used to think you were and maybe he should give you a chance. That was his way of bonding."

Lex frowned, perplexed.

"Bonding? With a crossword?

"It used to be mine and his Christmas tradition but then I got a bit big for little kid crosswords and I'm not quite up to the Times one yet. Maybe I should be worried you're replacing me."

"Not likely."

"Lex! Do you want to lick out the cake batter? I normally give it to Clark but he's been stealing mince pies all morning."

Clark let out a fake gasp of horror.

"Now you're replacing me with my mother as well. I'm hurt and betrayed. Next thing Dad'll be helping you make a snowman and Mom will be making cookies for you to decorate."

"Any other Kent traditions I need to look out for?"

"Well there's always the mistletoe kisses but I don't think you've bonded enough with my Dad to replace Mom for that. We could always give it a go ourselves, if you wanted."

Lex froze, unsure whether he'd missed a joke. Before he could question Clark, Martha was upon them, brandishing a batter covered spoon in his direction and shepherding him in the direction of the kitchen. He shot Clark a helpless look but the teen just grinned and dug in to his back pocket. The last thing Lex saw before he was pulled further into kitchen and subjected to more Kent family traditions was Clark brandishing a sprig of mistletoe and blowing a kiss in his direction.


End file.
